Listen to this special AgWeb Radio report featuring Vilsack with Pam Fretwell:

Vilsack says the farm bill provides much-needed assistance for livestock and crop producers alike. He says if the farm bill is not passed, vital assistance programs will expire and USDA will likely not be able to aid producers.

"I’m deeply concerned about the lack of our capacity at USDA to provide help and assistance."

He believes, at this point, the farm bill just needs a lot of push behind it to end the prolonged political process. ‘The best way to deal with this is to get a bill on the floor, get it up for a vote, pass it then work out whatever difference exist between the House and Senate, then get it to the President before Sept. 30."

In the end, Vilsack believes U.S. farmers will have their farm bill.

"My mother raised me to be an optimist and I’m not going to let anybody off the hook here. My expectation is at the end of the day, reasonable minds will come to realize the risk that is involved of playing Russian roulette with rural America. Until the clock strikes midnight on Sept. 30, I believe there’s 100% chance we’ll pass the farm bill."